Is Lifestyle the New Black?
[by Carey Bertolet]
A recruiter talks about the concept of the lifestyle ﬁrm, and what it means for the next wave of associate hirings.

As Firms Begin to Renew Hiring Initiatives, a

would be asked only to work the occasional

New Vernacular Must Take Hold

weekend or overnight. Most importantly,

tial work to associates. And, in the sense

associates who asked about a firm’s ‘quality

of competition, associates had to promote

For those lawyers who have practiced

of life’ were not looked down upon. Reflect-

themselves as lawyers who would bill a lot

through both the heady hiring frenzy of the

ing the cultural shift towards an associate-

of hours, make themselves available over

late 1990’s, and the resulting (and inevi-

centric law firm culture, the dialogue among

evenings and weekends, and long to prove

table?) chill on hiring in the early 2000’s,

associates, partners, recruiters and career

themselves with respect to any and all part-

lifestyle firms seem to have gone the way of

services was changed.

nership benchmarks.

true that law firm culture has changed, first

When the recession took hold, not surpris-

In both circumstances, the way in which

in favor of associate life, then to its detri-

ingly, it ushered in a new era where law firm

lawyers discussed the law firm market was

ment, lawyers in law firms must learn to bet-

partners, and not associates, made the rules.

partisan. Both the associate-centric ‘qual-

ter articulate the dynamics of law firm life.

The most obvious effects of the paradigm

ity of life’ dialogue, and the recessionary

shift were frozen associate salaries, length-

‘buyer’s market’ were marked by vocabulary

partners could be relied on to pass substan-

the Dodo bird. Although it is almost certainly

First, a brief history. Beginning in the mid-

ening partnership tracks, and in some firms,

that highlighted the tension among associ-

1990’s, the market for associates became

fairly substantial lay-offs. Unfortunately,

ates and partners, instead of reducing it.

increasingly more competitive, and as more

many young associates (especially corporate

and more associations moved in-house, firms

lawyers) who had interviewed for their jobs

Although it is too early to tell, one can only

found they had to work harder to attract the

when it was acceptable to tell a firm they

hope that as the economy rebounds, there

caliber of associate that their partners and

were looking for a lifestyle firm were laid off

will be a middle ground where associates

clients demanded. This battle for the law

by the very firm who had sold themselves as

are neither catered to, nor in fear for their

school and lateral talent occurred in several

such. Firms slowly removed their privileges

jobs. Firms must strike a balance. On the one

theaters: salary, partnership track, and what

and associate salaries were frozen. Some

hand, they must remain being busy enough

was quickly coined ‘lifestyle.’ In essence,

firms even decreased salaries for junior

to keep associates with plenty to do to make

calling oneself a lifestyle firm was a short-

associates, and bonuses were paltry or non-

billing requirements and develop. However,

hand message that the firm in question had

existent. From a recruiter’s standpoint, the

they must also resist resenting associates

fewer hours, and less screaming. A kinder,

days of associates looking for a more ‘con-

who strive to achieve some kind of work/life

gentler firm was born.

genial’ atmosphere were replaced with ones

balance. Regardless of how the playing field

where they were begged to find opportunities

is defined, it is imperative that lawyers rede-

For several years, it was acceptable, and

where they would have as much work as they

fine their environments in a way that is less

sometimes encouraged, for associates to ask

could handle.

divisive. Because the dialogue about law firm
life has polarized associates and partners,

potential employers to discuss the lifestyle
at their firm. Many firms undertook lifestyle

Thus, the vernacular changed. Associates

hiring partners and interviewing candidates,

initiatives that included casual Fridays, sum-

interviewing for lateral positions no longer

both parties must re-evaluate the vocabulary

mers, or sometimes business casual year

asked about minimum billable hours, or

they use to define the law firm market.

round. One firm even gave senior associates

quality of life (or they were promptly shown

three months of vacation in their fifth year.

the door). Lateral attorneys yearned for a

Lifestyle v. Sweat-shop. These terms define

Many firms boasted that there was no ‘face

position with increased stability and a busier

two ends within which conventional wisdom

time’ requirement, and their associates

department, where the work flowed and

tries to define all major law firms. The truth

PAGE 1

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is, however, that neither of these definitions

ployee perspective, it’s a fine value to make

be a reason to leave or join a firm, however,

fairly and completely defines any law firm

a part of the working community. However,

these are not qualities that should necessarily

environment. As such, neither is helpful in an

using the word ‘lifestyle’ is dangerous short-

be attributed to a small firm. Frequently, law-

ongoing dialogue about law firm cultures.

hand, and should be avoided because the

yers have moved to a smaller firm only to find

perception is that it reflects a naiveté that the

that the smaller firm did not embody any of

What’s wrong with the term lifestyle? The

company for which an individual wants to work

the qualities of a firm that might be commonly

use of the term lifestyle is generally short-

has a business purpose.

associated with ‘small firm life.’

life outside the firm, and institutionally has

On the other side of the coin, the word ‘sweat-

Likewise, calling a firm a typical ‘large firm’

less of an emphasis on the gross accumula-

shop’ is often associated with firms, usually

is merely a generalization. This generaliza-

tion of billable hours. Although it is certainly

large national or international firms. Along

tion often carries with it certain associations,

never wrong to provide a workplace where

with simply being overly perjorative, the term

which may include a lack of responsibility,

the individual is highly valued, there are two

‘sweat-shop’ is a lazy way of categorizing any

a lack of mentoring for associates, or the

principles that no one involved in law firms

firm where people work hard. Laziness, then,

perception of lawyers as ‘fungible billing

should forget:

is the largest problem with the use of the

units.’ While stereotypes are not without some

word. The truth is that the range of experi-

foundation in reality, these stereotypes do law

1. Law firms are capitalist businesses and

ences two different individuals have at the

firms and lawyers a disservice.

exist, in large part, to make money. As such,

same firm can vary dramatically. One lawyer’s

partners must pay attention to the firm’s

sweat-shop, down the hall, is a pleasure for

profitability and long-term viability. Therefore,

another lawyer on a daily basis. While many

a law firm that does not pay attention to the

different dynamics can account for these

amount of billable time for each associate is

differences, the truth is that categorizing one

ignoring the very raison d’être of the organi-

firm as a sweat-shop (and discounting the

zation’s existence. An associate who does not

firm for the same reason) prevents a lawyer

hand for a place that values each employee’s

appreciate that his or her value to the firm

from discovering a myriad of viable opportuni-

is at least partially defined by the amount of

ties.

time that he or she bills to clients does not

Conclusions. Lifestyle, sweatshop, quality of
life, and all other general terms bandied about
should be abandoned as we usher in a new
period of law firm hiring. Instead of relying on
generalization or conventional perceptions,
lawyers should reevaluate the way in which
they define their relationships with a potential
or current employer law firm. The first step
in such a redefinition is to better understand
the functions of lawyers within their environments, and the law firms with their clients.

understand the business model within which

In fact, some of New York’s most prestigious

an associate should function.

and monolithic firms have the most generous

2.Law firms are in the customer service busi-

tunities. The assumption that there are no

Carey Bertolet is a recruiter with BCG Attor-

ness. Although this is an admittedly strange

lifestyle accommodations at such places is

ney Search in New York. She can be reached

way of defining a firm, it is certainly true. Law

rampant, but at the end of the day, it’s a false

by e-mail at carey@bcgsearch.com or by

firms have clients who (typically) are paying

one. Certainly, such firms do not advertise

telephone at (212) 232-0400.

extraordinary amounts of money to receive

this fact, in large part because it is important

advice, representation, and most importantly,

that for the sake of their clients they are not

attention. When a client pays hundreds and

perceived as an organization where lifestyle

hundreds of dollars virtually every time he

trumps customer service.

flex-time and non-partnership track oppor-

or she picks up the phone to call on their
lawyer, they expect a level of enthusiasm and
responsiveness that transcends the time of
day or other obligations that lawyer has. Thus,
especially in large firm environments, it is not
always consistent with the goal of customer
(i.e., client) service to encourage an environment where lawyers routinely leave the office
at 6 p.m. each day.
This is not to say that valuing lifestyle is a
problem. From both the employer and emPAGE 2

Small Firms v. Large Firms. Another verbal
shortcut made in the discussion of law firm
culture and environment is whether a firm is
a large firm or a small firm. Saying “I like this
organization because it’s large,” (or small),
really doesn’t account for anything at all, except the number of employees. Is the perception that a small firm is better because there
are fewer hours? Because there is more responsibility, or because there is a more open
track to partnership? Any one of these may